Rob Elliot hails Gateshead keeper Adam Desbois as 'Great Escape' nears successful conclusion

Gateshead manager Rob Elliot has been delighted with the impact goalkeeper Adam Desbois has made over his first month at the International Stadium - but insisted their is more to come from the new Heed number one.

The 25-year-old was a somewhat unexpected arrival when he was snapped up from National League South club Slough Town - but he has already shown exactly why Elliot was so keen to secure his signature with a string of impressive performances as his new side have cantered out of the National League relegation zone and moved to the brink of safety.

Desbois has kept four clean sheets in his first ten appearances for the Heed and produced shutouts in their challenging Bank Holiday weekend clashes with two sides in the play-off places as Elliot’s men collected four points from a visit to Carlisle United and a home clash with Scunthorpe United. Desbois will hope to help Gateshead secure their National League status for another year as they visit Aldershot Town on Saturday where relegation could be officially avoided if they land a win over the Shots or results elsewhere fall in their favour. Ahead of the game, the former Reading stopper has been described as ‘a real professional’ and has been challenged to continue improving over the coming weeks and months.

Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Elliot told The Echo: “Adam has been absolutely fantastic and he gives us so many different dimensions in possession. He’s still learning but his journey is on the upwards spiral and he just needs to deal with the level he is at now. The thing I’ve loved about him is whenever we have challenged him, when we have had conversations about where he can improve, he has always reacted positively and he’s got himself into a place where he is putting in brilliant performances. It’s not even just the saves, it’s his actual play in terms of decision-making, coming off his line and things like that.

“He’s a real character, a real professional, he just wants to do well and learn and he has fit into the group so well. He just wants to be the best he can be in every part of his life and he looks at all of the areas where he feels he can improve. He backs himself but he has to keeps doing the things he is doing, he keeps working hard but I think we can definitely see him becoming an even more all-round goalkeeper.”

Standards

Desbois’ positive introduction to life with the Heed has played an integral role in an overall improvement in defensive areas. Since making his debut in a 1-0 home win against Braintree Town last month, the former Brighton academy stopper has conceded an average of just 0.8 goals per game and that compares to an average of 2.3 goals per games conceded during Gateshead’s other 33 league games prior to his arrival.

However, the defensive improvement is now just down to the Heed’s new number one stopper with the likes of Kenton Richardson, Brad Nicholson, Louis Storey and David Ferguson all producing eye-catching displays across Elliot’s backline during that time. The improvement was clearly visible as Gateshead kept clean sheets during their Bank Holiday weekend clashes with play-off contenders Carlisle and Scunthorpe - but Elliot believes their recent record could have been even better.

He said: “We are disappointed we haven’t had four clean sheets recently because we conceded very late goals against Yeovil and York. It should have been more clean sheets, which feels a bit mad but that’s the standards these lads are setting for themselves. To play two top teams and get two clean sheets is really pleasing and to get them gives us a really solid base to work from.”

Elliot will welcome Mark Beck back into contention for the game after the on-loan Scunthorpe United striker missed Monday’s win over his parent club due to the National League’s regulations on loan players.

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